One Last Secret

by Adele Parks

Everyone has secrets, don’t they?

One last client
A week at a beautiful chateau in the south of France—it should be a straightforward final job for Dora. She’s a smart, stunning and discreet escort, and Daniel has paid for her services before. This time, all she has to do is to convince the assembled guests that she is his girlfriend. Dora is used to playing roles and being whatever men want her to be. It’s all about putting on a front.

One last chance
It will be a last, luxurious look at how the other half lives before Dora turns her back on the escort world and all its dangers. She has found someone she loves and trusts. With him, she can escape the life she’s trapped in. But when Dora arrives at the chateau, it quickly becomes obvious that nothing is what it seems…

One last secret
Dora finds herself face-to-face with a man she has never forgotten, the one man who really knows her. And as old secrets surface, it becomes terrifyingly apparent that one last secret could cost Dora her life…

From the Sunday Times number one bestseller Adele Parks comes a blisteringly provocative novel about power, sex, money and revenge.

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Crime

368 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2022

About the author

Adele Parks MBE is one of the most-loved and biggest-selling women's fiction writers in the UK. She has sold over 4 million books and her work has been translated into 30 different languages.

She has published 21 novels, all of which have been London Times bestsellers.

Adele has written 19 contemporary novels and 2 historical ones, Spare Brides and If You Go Away, which are set during and after WW1. Her latest novels, Both of You, Just My Luck, Lies Lies Lies, I Invited Her In, The Image of You and The Stranger in My Home are twisty, domestic noirs. Adele likes to scrutinize our concepts of family, our theories on love, parenting and fidelity.

During her career Adele has lived in Italy, Botswana and London. Now she lives happily in Surrey, UK with her husband, son and cat.

If you want to stay in touch you can find Adele on Twitter @AdeleParks, Instagram @Adele_Parks or Facebook @OfficialAdeleParks. You can sign up to her newsletter at eepurl.com/cI0l and there’s lots more info about Adele and her books on www.adeleparks.com.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know how I exactly feel about this book! It really made me confused! It was smart but there are so missing pieces for me to enjoy it completely!

I loved the start and sarcastic, straightforwardly blunt narration of Theodora/ Dora: thirty years old sex worker/ escort, honestly telling her work life, her clients, her only friend Evan, her struggles in her tough, survival tone. I liked her immediately!
She has rules, restrictions about her profession and she made me a mistake to listen Elspeth( let’s call her : agent) to take the offer of a last minute client! She walks to the hotel, seeing the red flags after meeting with the man wearing the mask who is about to give her more than black eye!

Her best friend/ trust fund baby Evan sees her condition, trying to convince her to quit her job as like he did before but when he realizes, Dora has no intention to leave this life behind, he does something unexpected, he PROPOSES!
And she says YES!

I thought I was reading angsty, erotic romance at first, but Dora was so lovable to hang out and I didn’t care not much happened after 60 pages. I continued!

Dora quits her job but her old client Daniel she’s seen for 6 months need her help to attend a celebration party of his colleague at a chateau in South France. The girl he has a crush on for years who is also married will be there! He needs a pretending girlfriend urgently and Dora knows him so well, she’s the only one who can make his friends believe in their relationship!

Dora already promised Evan, she left her old life. But her client Daniel promises they’re not gonna have sex! A quick visit to France including vineyard tour, private chefs, lots of tennis and time by the pool already lured her! On the top of that: she’ll be paid handsomely! And Evan is at work trip, having no time to check on her! What can go wrong?

Well, I really want to scream at Dora as soon as she said yes to Daniel. And when they arrive at the château, she meets with Daniel’s eccentric friends who act like they see an exotic creature as soon as they say hi to her. And one of them is a very dangerous man! Dora absolutely knows who he is!

I just want to scream louder at Dora to run away before things turn into “ Get out” movie!
I asked myself why she keeps staying. There are so many red flags! Why!

But she stayed and the sh*t literally hits the fan!
I can honestly say I got very flabbergasted after getting blown away by several twists. Some of them are unnecessary!

Then when I was about to start the last third: I realized the author moved the story backwards with 11 years long flashback and another narrator joined with Dora!

It was abrupt but absolutely necessary! I was about to give 2 stars to this book! But last third changed my mind: at least so many of my questions answered even though they were far fetched explanations!

Especially one twist made me scream: NO FREAKING WAY! Absolutely I didn’t foresee it!
I truly got sucker punched !

Overall: I went between three and four stars! I decided to give three stars at the end! I loved Dora! I loved some crazy twists! But so many things in this book were too much exaggerated and there were so many disturbing elements like abuse, rape, degradation, child abandonment ! But I still finished it quickly and thought this book as enjoyable popcorn read!
I’m so sure I’ll happily love to read more books of the author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/ MIRA for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

[Ellie Spencer (catching up from hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderfully wild ride that really sucked me in!

One Last Secret follows Dora, an escort who has agreed to do one final job with a client she trusts. The job involves going to France and pretending to be Daniel’s girlfriend. But nothing is as it seems and things quickly take a sinister turn.

I absolutely devoured the first half of this book. I felt completely sucked in by the setting and sinister nature of the situation. I couldn’t completely figure out what was happening and I liked that. The tone shifted slightly towards the latter half of the book, moving back and forward in time. The time shifts were easy to follow and flowed seamlessly. A lot of twists were thrown in towards the end, although I did guess most of them, there were two that were able to catch me by surprise which I absolutely loved!

My main complaint with this book was that I didn’t connect to Dora’s character at all. I liked her strength, willingness to love and trust. However, she kept making some really ridiculous decisions in the face of danger. These decisions didn’t seem to fit the savvy character we had been introduced to. I just wanted to scream at the book and tell her not to be so trusting! Overall, this was a tense read that kept me turning the pages. I definitely want to read more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers and mysteries.

[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dora is a high priced escort. She knows at some point she needs to put this life behind her. And after her latest ‘date’ with a new client left her beaten and bruised, that time was now!

But change was not going to come easily. Her most trusted client Daniel reaches out, pleading for one last rendezvous. He needs her to escort him to a function in the French countryside. Nora is reluctant, torn between her two opposing worlds. But come on! The French countryside? One last job won’t hurt anyone…. ya right!?

This book started off with a bang! And I was ooh! This is different! And these days different is as rare as a unicorn sighting!

But midway things started to lag once they arrived in France. Dora’s behavior and lack of insight just felt silly. I’d think anyone with an ounce of common sense would have behaved differently… but hey, that’s just my opinion.

Overall, I’m glad I stuck with the read to the end. I was rewarded with quite the roller-coaster of twists!

Definitely a worthwhile read for all thriller lovers.

A buddy read with Susanne.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Last Secret is a compelling thriller with a great main character.

As an escort, Dora has rules in place to keep her safe. However, after one traumatizing encounter, Dora agrees to marry her best friend and leave escorting behind. That is until a client offers her double the going rate to pretend to be his girlfriend in the south of France. Even though she’s looking at a future of financial security, Dora is not quite ready to lose her independence, so she accepts this as her last job.

What could go wrong? Well, a lot, it seems. Almost as soon as she arrives.

This page-turner mainly follows Dora’s pov and alternates timelines.

This was my first time reading an Adele Parks book, and it did not disappoint. Dora’s character was so well done and had me rooting for her the entire time.

I saw the big reveal coming a mile away, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. It is slightly OTT, which I know some readers don’t like, but it worked fine for me.

Usually, when reading, I’m very aware of what page I’m on and how many pages are left to go in the chapter or the book. But this one captured my complete attention.

I will definitely try this author again in the future.

Thank you to MIRA for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://booksandwheels.com

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just four stars!

Dora is an escort, the oldest profession in the world. She is quite upfront about her career but after one client treats her horrifically her friend Evan, a trust fund baby, asks her to marry him and she says yes. However, one client begs her to do one last job which is to accompany him to France and fake a relationship and so she reluctantly agrees. What could possibly go wrong?

First of all, I really like Dora she seems very likable and honest though since she’s our principal narrator caution may be advised! I very much enjoy the way it’s written, it’s a compelling and engaging read and the events that play out in France lead to a multitude of questions in your mind. The atmosphere created is excellent, it varies from friendly to forced , to brittle and uneasy and at times it’s feels claustrophobic and positively nasty. All kinds of weird stuff happens, the characters in France seem very unlikable as they seem to be playing all kinds of tricks and of course you just have read on as we plough onto the inevitable violent train wreck.

The novel builds well, there is tension and suspense though disbelief suspenders are required on occasions but hey, it’s fiction! There are several twists and turns although one is easy to figure out but not entirely the reasons behind it. The end twist is good.

My only reservations all the sudden backtracking to 11 years ago as well as a narrator change and although it does eventually make sense it seems to break up the flow of the storytelling.

Overall though it’s an enjoyable read that there are parts that make you feel a bit uncomfortable.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for that much appreciated arc in return for honest review.

[Liza Franklin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am shocked that I hate-listened to the whole thing. If I could have found spoilers, I would have read them and stopped with this thing. I was curious how it ended but I grew to really, really, REALLY dislike Dora. Here are the spoilers I wish I had found. So, here’s what happened: SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS. NOT KIDDING. NOTHING BUT SPOILERS.

Dora goes on one last girlfriend experience (without the sex) to a super secluded mansion in the south of France. She is gaslit, drugged, and raped while drugged. She does not figure out that her “naps” right after politely eating or drinking something forced on her mean she was drugged even though it happens multiple times. The guy who beat her up is an employee of her daughter’s father who has brought her out there to be murdered by that employee.
Long flashback about Dora having a child at 19, how hard that was, and how it was the reason she became an escort. Her mother took the child and moved to Serbia to raise Dottie (seriously) as her own. Dora’s mom and daughter were killed in a car accident. Which I guess explains. Something.

During an escape attempt, Dora learns that her captor, the father of her daughter, is also her fiancé’s father and that he hired everyone who was at the house to torture her. She manages to kill the employee during a second escape attempt but doesn’t get away because, when she opens the door to run away …

Her fiancé shows up at the murder house. Dora explains little about what happened and her fiancé is confused about his dad. He leaves the room, seeing to agree to MURDER HIS FIANCÉ because his dad says so. Her captor gets drunk and explains everything while her fiancé is out of the room. She stabs dad, who falls into the pool and drowns because she and fiancé can’t swim. Fiancé has overheard drunken dad confession. Dora and fiancé cover up murder and/or self-defense homicide by burning down mansion which was also fiancé’s family summer home.

At the funeral, Dora learns fiancé can swim and just let his dad die for torturing her. No one in super wealthy connected family is bothered that she’s a former escort so yay for her.

We learn, but Dora doesn’t, that her child wasn’t in the car and was adopted by another family.

How I hated this book. Dora starts smart then makes every stupid, ridiculous decision she can. While also crying, accepting anything anyone says without question, and constantly ruminating about how sad she is. Now, you don’t have to read this book. You’re welcome. Ugh.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unique thriller with a few good twists.

This is told mostly from the first person account of Dora/Teodora, who is a high end escort/sex worker. She isn't ashamed of the way she earns money, but when a client gets too rough she decides it's time to leave the business. Dora can't resist but take one last job as a favor to a client, a weekend away at a luxury home, yet what happens there is not what she was expecting.

When taken as a whole, the storyline isn't all that surprising in the end. I pretty much called everything that was going on. That said, it's still a uniquely told story from an interesting point of view. I don't typically like first person storylines because it's too much "I did this and I did that" rather than letting us in on the action, but in this case it really works.

What didn't work for me was how smart and savvy Dora was in certain situations and how absolutely stupid she was in others. Once she got to the house it was like she made one idiotic choice after another, even I could see that they were bad choices, and yet she continued to drink and eat everything she was given without a second thought. Those two parts of her personality just didn't mesh for me. Also the flashback storyline didn't really work for me either, it was long and drawn out and then just...ended.

Overall though, I had a difficult time putting the book down because it's compulsively readable and I did want to know how everything was going to shake down in the end. There are some good twists and although I didn't always like Dora's choices I did like her and was rooting for her success.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked several parts of this book. The story in itself was heartbreaking, and showed how hard life can be no matter how hard you try. There was an underlying foreboding feeling that kept me invested. My misgivings came when Dora travelled to France for a last job. When the revelation came, it seemed a bit far-fetched. Also, some chapters were too long and maybe not necessary. I liked one of the twists but not the last.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have ever read an Adele Parks book, you know that her plots are never as straight forward as they may seem. Once Last Secret is a compelling read, with so many twists and turns you will not know if you are coming or going! I loved it. When a book continues to surprise me, it is a good thing as I don't think that I am easily surprised anymore.

As for the plot, you don't want to read too much into that at all, best to go in as blind as possible. All you need to know is this:

Dora is a high end escort in London, and she is not ashamed of it. She makes good money and she is happy. Until she is beaten badly by a client in a hotel room. He threatens her and she is scared to leave her home. This is when her best friend Evan proposes to her. He has been in love with her for a long time, he is rich and handsome. Dora says yes and agrees to stop working as an escort. But she agrees to do one last job for a client while Evan is away, and flies to France. What could go wrong?

That is more than enough. From here it needs to be a blank canvas. We learn alot about Dora, her past life and her decisions that have shaped the way she lives today. The story is told mostly from her point of view and she is very open about her work and lifestyle. And she makes some good points on how her profession is viewed in society.

If you want an engaging and wild story, One Last Secret is for you. A thriller that will keep you guessing, until the very end.

Thanks to Harlequin Australia for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published in Australia June 15th.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I've read a few of Adele Parks novels and have really enjoyed them.

I had both the audio and ebook for One Last Secret which I really liked. As I've said before I love being able to switch back and forth between the two. Wish I could have both every time.

This was an intriguing read. I was pulled in right from the start. I found it easy to follow and though at times it felt over the top, I still enjoyed it and couldn't wait to read what would happen next. Lots of good twist and turns.

Overall a very enjoyable read!

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! WOW! WOW!

Meet my new favorite Adele Parks book.

Told from the POV of a savvy escort/sex worker, this powerful, pulverizing, and twisty tale of love, revenge, and despair is dark, chilling, and mesmerizing.....all at the same time.

Although there were some eye-rolling moments, overall, the book was compulsively readable, entertaining, and unputdownable.

What I particularly enjoyed about the book was that it was not the "same old, same old" and provided multiple gasp-worthy moments when the book ended.

I listened to the audiobook read by Kristin Atherton, who gave an outstanding performance.

5 enthusiastic stars.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well!
Sometimes a review comes easy, sometimes you can’t find the right words to describe it to put over how you feel, for this book I am just going to list the words and feelings that came to mind when read the last sentence~

Dark
Chilling
Seamless Writing
Engaging
Delicious
Very well researched
Mesmerising
Intoxicating
Thrilling
Unbelievably believable
Entrancing
Unique
Flamboyant
Flawless Storytelling
Unputdownable ( if that annoys pretend you’ve not read it 😎🤗)

B R I L L I A N T

10/10
5 Stars

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, dual timeline, sex worker, r@pe, revenge

Even though this high end escort/sex workers name is the same at my sweet deceased grandma I'm happy to say I did not picture her face at all.

We start out with a lot of information about Dora's job. She gets roughed up by a client and decides to quit the biz after her best friend, Evan, proposes. I never really felt a connection between them and thought it odd that he even proposed to begin with.
She takes one last job in France and totally made some questionable choices while there.
It was on the longer side and slow moving at times, but I was happy there were a few little zingers at the end. All in all, a pretty good story of revenge.

Narrated by Kristin Atherton for 13 hours and 42 minutes (not sure why it says 10 hours and 45 minutes here?). She did a lovely job and showed proper emotion when necessary.

*short Libby loan review *

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[Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4 Stars⭐️
One Last Secret by Adele Parks is engaging and twisty, this psychological thriller will hold your attention that’s for sure!

Theodora (Dora) thirty-one is a glamorous high end escort and she’s about to retire but she has one last job where she will accompany a regular client Daniel, to a luxury chateau in the South of France for a week, what could possibly go wrong?

No more needs to be said on the plot as it’s better going in blind but my heart was racing for Dora and the life and death situation she gets herself into.

I really warmed to Dora’s character, there were many unlikeable characters in the story and I enjoyed trying to guess what’s going to happen next. A thoroughly entertaining read of revenge, power and wealth….. and murder!

Publication Date 15 June 2022
Publisher HQ Fiction

Thank you so much Harper Collins Australia for sending me this book for an honest review.

[Ranjini Shankar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really hate books with gaslighting and I didn’t realize how prominently it would feature here. I couldn’t wait for Dora to catch up with what the reader already knows. The pacing is all off in this book and the first reveal isn’t even a reveal because we have no idea who this person is or why we should care.

The story follows a high end escort, Dora, as she finds love and the man who knows and loves her proposes to her. She decides (stupidly) to take on one last job and suddenly she’s a prisoner there and needs to figure out who is behind it all.

When the story finally gets going we get thrown into a really REALLY long winded flashback that involves so many new characters. When we finally rejoin the present, we STILL are none the wiser for what is going on. What it felt like was that the author realized halfway through there weren’t enough red herrings and the twist would be too obvious so we needed to have a flashback to introduce more characters. It doesn’t work. I was just glad this one was done. Two stars for an interesting main character and a gripping first few chapters.

[Ginetta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Have I read the same book as all the 5 star reviews?More holes in the plot that Swiss cheese. I’m open minded about twists and back stories being connected to the present with some stretching of possibilities…but to pull this story off took such far fetched timing, way too many naive characters willing to work for the protagonists, too many off putting twists..it didn’t make any sense. Lots of waffle and cringe to get to the end.

[Michele Byrne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst book ever!!!!!

So bad I have no words. A total waste of seven hours of my life I will never get back!!!!!!!

[Beth Sandland (Beth’s Book Club) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ll start by saying that when I saw a new Adele Parks release, I was excited. Although it was a bit outrageous and at times problematic, I enjoyed The Last Mrs Parrish, so I downloaded this on audiobook and got stuck in.

Dora is a sex worker. Or a ‘hooker’ or ‘whore’ - words that are littered throughout the text…not sure that was necessary. When she’s beaten by a dangerous client, she’s more than a little shaken and her millionaire boy best friend offers her an out.

Dora can’t resist taking one last job - escorting a regular to a French château and pretending to be his girlfriend. No sex allowed. Surely that’s fine?

What unravels is predictably dark and dangerous but bizarrely hyperbolic and unbelievable. It’s also really, really repetitive. The characters are all stereotypes (including Dora’s Serbian mother) and the ending feels forced.

We learn Dora’s back story and I think what is a real shame here is that could’ve been a great book. How a RADA student fell on hard times and just needed ‘a little extra cash’ to eat.

I don’t want to give spoilers but plenty happens, some of it sad, some a bit silly. There are also some truly bizarre/problematic plot points that the author seems to just skim over.

I finished it on 2.5x speed, too far in to DNF but keen to move on. The audiobook recording wasn’t great so that perhaps didn’t help - from the awful Serbian accents to the odd male voices the female narrator put on.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

It may have taken me a while, but boy does it feel good to finally have read a novel by Adele Parks! One Last Secret intrigued me immediately with the conversational writing style and the fact that Dora is an escort, but as the story goes on it just gets better and better. I found myself a little confused at one point, but I quickly set myself straight and I just couldn't wait to get to the end to find out what would happen. I thought the book was almost done and then I still had 3 hours of the audiobook left, and I think that just goes to show it doesn't have some quickly wrapped-up ending. Parks takes the time to fully get through things and the twists were a total doozy. You may think you have it figured out, but my guess is that you won't! I sure didn't.

I thought the audiobook was nicely done, and Kristin Atherton was a great narrator who I thoroughly enjoyed listening to. Dora is in her early 30s and to me, Atherton sounded much older than that, but I also never would have guessed Dora's age unless it was said in the book. She felt like an older character to me and for that reason, I thought Atherton was the perfect fit voice-wise. This is a slow burner for the most part, but the story gets crazy wild, so hang onto your horses! I would recommend One Last Secret to readers that enjoy domestic suspense, revenge, and healthy doses of uniqueness. I couldn't get behind some of Dora's decisions which seemed silly compared to how she is in the rest of the book, but I was here for all the rest.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not gonna lie – Dora is boring.

This book took too long to catch my attention. The beginning is a primer to sex work. I think it’s an honest one – and a respectful one – but the ABCs of sex work do not an exciting thriller make.

Eventually, we get to something mysterious and dangerous and just as you’re totally into this…GIGANTIC FLASHBACK ALERT! Look, the flashback is important, but it’s so clumsy and, yes, still kind of dull.

We get back to the thriller and…huh. That’s who’s doing what and that’s why they’re doing it? Okay…

So, yeah, this one definitely did not work for me. Moving on to my next read.

• ARC via publisher

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was something about this one that pulled me in right from the start. I think it was the way the story was told, Dora is an unflinchingly honest narrator and at times it read like she was confessing her sins. I loved that aspect, it felt so juicy and gossipy and throw in her fascinating backstory and I was hooked. Dora experiences some confusion throughout the book and there were some times that I was confused as well. Things shift about halfway through and although I was a little lost I just went with it and I’m glad I did because I feel like it all paid off in the end. There were so many surprises in the back half that entertained me. Were they the most shocking and well executed twists ever? No, but they were so fun! I think if you just go along for the ride this was such an addictive popcorn style thriller. Don’t get too caught up in the details and just settle in for a pretty wicked time.

[Erica⭐ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel travels back and forth in time and from London to the South of France.

Dora is an high classed escort who happens to fall into a doting relationship with her friend Evan. They get engaged. He knows her history and feels nevertheless that they would be a good match and Dora is pretty OK about getting married. It would be such a novelty to be loved for her and not admired, for the services she provides.

We learn about her lifestyle and how she came to work as a high classed escort until one encounter leaves her bloodied and bruised. And terrified out of her wits.

She is then asked to attend one last function at a stunning chateau in the South of France, simply to be there as staged arm candy, no intimacy required, only pretence where necessary. It happens to coincide with her fiance's Evan absence on a work trip and feels it would be doing one last favour to an ex client. Yes, there is luxury, there are beautiful people hanging around the pool, the accommodation is stunning, but almost as soon as she arrives she doesn’t feel herself and she can’t quite put her finger on what is going on. She also recognises one of the other guests and immediately goes into overdrive. It is someone she really would never want to meet again, yet her clarity of thought is letting her down – she is usually at the top of her game, astute and incisive when she needs to act. it is all undoubtedly turning weird.

Most of the chapters are devoted to Dora’s point of view as she shares her story.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com

Adele Parks now rises to the very top of my list in the domestic noir category. I have had a really thirst for this genre of late and One Last Secret filled my cup. Unpredictable, wild and tantalising, I couldn’t get enough of this tale of a high-end escort.

A story that takes the reader to a stunning chateau in the south of France, One Last Secret closely follows a top end escort named Dora. Known for her poise, beauty, sophistication and caution, Dora is ready to finally hang up her heels for good when she is requested to accompany a loyal client on one last venture. Dora is initially hesitant to commit to this final job, but she thinks she can trust her client Daniel. Pretending to be Daniel’s girlfriend on a trip away with his friends should be easy, it’s a common request of Dora’s role as an escort. Dora has her new fiancé and the life she now wants to live in her sights, but she will need to cast this aside for her getaway with Daniel. When Dora settles into the chateau, she has a funny feeling about the place and the people that she is on holiday with. Then, in a shocking twist, Dora encounters a man she hoped she would never see again. What secrets does this man hold about Dora and will she make it back to her fiancé alive?

One Last Secret literally knocked me dead! I didn’t expect to love this one as much as I did. The domestic noir genre is very lucky to have Adele Parks, she is a magnificent author, which is down to books such as One Last Secret.

I was magnetised and hypnotised by this latest Adele Parks release. I had to fend off my family while I was in the company of this book, I couldn’t think of anything else! One Last Secret is told through the eyes of an escort named Dora, and her testimony was utterly compelling. As the book progresses, we see how a typical day unfolds from Dora’s perspective and this was quite the eye opener. In this confessional and very open standpoint, we gain an insight into the world of an escort. We understand and almost sympathise with Dora’s desperation and helplessness. Dora’s backstory provides us with some vital awareness into her history. It was fascinating, gripping, wild and morally conflicting.

The action is mostly set in the beautiful surroundings of a chateau in the south of France and this glamourous location pulled me right in! I definitely felt a sense of unease, tension and confusion as Dora entered this location. I also wanted to yell at her and signal a warning that she should have stayed home with her fiancé. Dora was definitely taking an unnecessary risk that could have been prevented! I was scared that Dora would jeopardise her chance at escaping the game and having her own safe happy ever after thanks to this final jaunt. Parks sets up a narrative stage full of mystery, intrigue, unpredictability and tension. I really took my time to savour this one, which is unlike me as a speed reader. I’m glad I slowed down my intake with One Last Secret as I was bulldozed by this one – in a good way!

With a plot that is far from conventional, complete with an alluring main protagonist, a suspect outer cast and a flashy setting, One Last Secret will keep you guessing until the bitter end. An amazing read!

*I wish to thank Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sensuous, summer read that sizzles throughout. I found the ending to be unanticipated and cleverly written, showing Parks keeps her readers on tenterhooks down to the final page.

It didn’t take long for me to invested in Dora’s story. As a ‘lady of the night’, Dora’s frank, blunt narrative is very honest and it felt like she was talking directly to me as a reader. Like a confessional, Dora makes it clear that her life is not glamorous and that she accepts the criticisms behind her profession. However, money is the driving force and Dora shows she is not embarrassed by what she does: she is embarrassed because she does not know what she would do instead with her life.

Heading to France with a known client, Parks makes this an intensifying, sultry narrative. The summer weather is sticky, sweaty and oppressive – and this is definitely reflected in the story. I felt for Dora’s confusion and the feelings of being an outsider amongst Daniel’s friends, whilst simultaneously yearning that this self-promised last ‘job’ would end soon. However, Dora’s instincts soon prove correct that something just doesn’t add up, ending in a claustrophobic game of cat and mouse. Dora becomes hunted, she becomes trapped and she becomes targeted. The trouble is, she doesn’t not know who is behind this and why they are treating her like this.

Parks switches to Dora’s past to give more depth to her character. This developed my sympathies for her and her desperation was palpable. It was saddening to read about, especially as I could easily imagine this is not something that belongs just in fiction. At the same time, I applauded the way Parks presents Dora’s work and think this frankness makes her a more likeable character: she doesn’t disguise this line of work is widely criticised, but acknowledges there still is a need for what she does.

As the story developed, I could not believe some of the surprise revelations that Parks includes. At some points I was gasping in disbelief, finding myself re-reading some paragraphs in case I had missed something! There were some clever plot twists that come in the final chapters, so this is definitely a book you need to see through to the end to truly appreciate Parks thrilling narrative.

It should be noted that there are several dark topics addressed in this book, so some readers may want to approach this story with caution. The way they are woven into the narrative adds to Dora’s character and I felt like I had a better understanding of her as a result. However, I can appreciate these subjects can make for uncomfortable reading; at times, I felt I had to put the book down and emerge from Dora’s dark world.

This was a sultry, suspenseful read. It is quite slow to get going but the tension builds to unexpected revelations at the closing.

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Diane OLeary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here was a completely addictive story to get lost in which is what I needed after too many dull reads in a row. Adele Parks never fails to draw me into her books. I was equally into the both the present and past sections of lead character Dora's life and the twists were enjoyable and surprising. A very entertaining read.

[Rachel Kidd · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible, boring book. I skim read most of it to find out what happened. The main character is unlikable, I suppose that's what the author intended but it does make it difficult to care about what happens to her. I particularly didn't like the ending! A terrible ending to a terrible book!

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dora is an escort and gets paid for her services so a week at a beautiful chateau in the south of France sounds an excellent assignment. She is used to role play so when Daniel hires her to pretend to his guests that she is his girlfriend it sounds a straightforward booking. She intends to give up escorting so she sees it as a last time to act out with the wealthy.
She has found love, someone she loves and trusts and who she hopes will take her away from the escort world. When she arrives at the chateau she finds herself face to face with a man she has never forgotten, the one man who really knows her. Old secrets surface and it becomes obvious that this secret could put her in great danger.

I wasn’t really sure about this one at first but the more I read the better it got. Not at all what I normally read but once I got into it I really enjoyed it.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and HQ for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Linda (Lily) Raiti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those novels where its best to go in blind. Dora is a glamorous high end escort. She has finally found someone to settle down with and move away from working in the sex industry. Before she retires for good, she will complete one more job. Sounds simple right? All I’m going to say, is its anything but that.

I won’t go any further, other than to say, that this clever, psychological thriller had me holding my breath with all the twists and turns. A highly entertaining and addictive read where the tension builds to a mind blowing conclusion.

Many thanks to @harpercollins for advanced review copy

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one wasn't too bad. There were moments in the middle that were slow and some things were a little fat fetched. Overall it was a decent thriller and there are a bunch of times that I totally wasn't expecting and the ending was well done. I say if you like thrillers, you may want to give this a try! 


Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. Out now!

[Rebecca ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING. I was hooked all the way through. The twists just kept coming and coming. And then the ending!!! I was not expecting any of it. I loved it.